JP6683718B2 - Stretch-resistant migration resistant batting, method for producing said batting and article containing said batting - Google Patents

Description

Cross-reference of related applications

  This application claims priority to US Provisional Application No. 62 / 106,014, filed Jan. 21, 2015, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. Incorporated.

  The present invention relates basically to migration resistant batting, articles containing said batting and methods of making said batting.

  Microfibers are fibers that have a denier of 1.0 denier or less (“denier” is a metric for gram weight per 9,000 meters of fiber length). Synthetic microfiber insulation has been on the market for decades. Hydrophobic microfiber insulation treated with silicon is also known. Such fibers are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,635 and are commercially available in the performance outdoor market as PrimaLoft®.

  Hydrophobic microfiber insulation has been used for many years in the outdoor industry for applications in winter clothing, sleeping bags and gloves. However, the disadvantage of using hydrophobic microfiber insulation is that it is combined with poorly breathable downproof fabrics, and even if protected by non-woven scrim material, this type of insulation is It is highly prone to show severe fiber migration through the fabric surface.

  Scrims are core materials often used as a protective layer between the insulation of an article and a sheath or liner cloth. Fiber migration is the penetration of fibers through a fabric surface such that the fibers lie on a working reference surface of the article (typically the surface of the article that is exposed to the external environment).

  A downproof fabric is usually defined as a fabric that is tightly woven with a yarn count of greater than 250 and has a cubic foot per minute (cfm) ASTM D737 breathability rating of less than 1. Often, fabrics have a coating applied to them or are calendered to seal their surfaces as a means to achieve down proofing. These treatments further reduce the breathability of the fabric, which has a direct effect on the overall comfort of the article. The less breathable the fabric, the less ventilation and comfort. The more breathable the fabric, the greater the ventilation and comfort.

  Migration resistant insulation for use in outdoor articles is also known in the art. These insulations are usually composed primarily of high denier fibers of greater than 1.0 denier and do not include a hydrophobic finish. It is straightforward to create a migration resistant surface for these types of commonly manufactured insulative insulation by using commercially available chemical resins as an adhesive on the surface of the insulation. However, there are various drawbacks associated with this type of processing. For example, the treatment may make the insulation hard and crisp to the touch, reduce elongation and make it uncomfortable to wear. Furthermore, most of the commercial chemical resins used to make migration resistant surfaces absorb water quickly, which represents a significant drawback for outdoor articles where both performance and comfort are required. .

  Accordingly, there is a need for improved migration resistant batting that is particularly comfortable and compatible with applications related to moisture and / or use in high performance conditions (eg, outdoor activewear).

  While describing certain aspects of the prior art to facilitate the disclosure of the invention, the applicants do not deny these technical aspects, and the invention as claimed is claimed herein. It is anticipated that it may include one or more of the prior art aspects described in.

  Reference herein to a description, act or item of information is made to this reference or description, which reference document, act or item or any combination thereof is publicly available on a priority date. Was commonly known, was part of common sense, or constitutes prior art under applicable legal provisions, or any issue related to this specification. That is known to be related to attempts to resolve

  Briefly, the present invention meets the need for improved migration resistant batting. The present invention addresses one or more of the problems and deficiencies in the art described above. However, it should be considered that the present invention may prove advantageous in addressing other problems and deficiencies of multiple arts. Therefore, the claimed invention is not to be construed as limited to addressing any particular problem or deficiency described herein.

In a first aspect, the present invention is a batting comprising a nonwoven having a first surface, said first surface being parallel to said second surface, said nonwoven comprising a fiber mixture, said fiber mixture Is:
35-65% by weight of synthetic polymer fibers having a denier of 1.0 or less (referred to as the first population), wherein 50-100% by weight of the synthetic polymer fibers are siliconized fibers. When;
10 to 30% by weight of spiral-crimped synthetic polymer fibers (referred to as a second group) having a length of 60 mm or more, and 50 to 100% by weight of the spiral-crimped synthetic polymer fibers. % Of siliconized fibers, said spirally crimped synthetic polymer fibers;
20 to 50% by weight of elastic fibers having a denier of 2.0 to 7.0;
5-25% by weight of synthetic adhesive fibers having an adhesion temperature lower than the softening temperature of said synthetic polymer fibers and having a denier of 1.5-4.0;
And providing the first and second surfaces with a crosslinked resin.

  In a second aspect, the invention provides an article comprising the batting of the invention.

In a third aspect, a method of making a batting of the present invention:
-Preparation of the fiber mixture, which comprises:
35-65% by weight of the first population, which is a synthetic polymer fiber having a denier of 1.0 or less.
And 50 to 100% by weight of the synthetic polymer fibers are siliconized fibers.
10 to 30% by weight of the second group of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers having a length of 60 mm or more, and 50 to 100% by weight of the helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers are silicon-treated fibers. , Said spirally crimped synthetic polymer fiber;
20 to 50% by weight of elastic fibers having a denier of 2.0 to 7.0;
5-25% by weight of synthetic adhesive fibers having an adhesion temperature lower than the softening temperature of said synthetic polymer fibers and having a denier of 1.5-4.0;
The preparatory step by mixing
The step of forming a non-woven fabric from the fiber mixture, the non-woven fabric comprising a first surface parallel to a second surface;
A step of heating the non-woven fabric up to or above the bonding temperature of the adhesive fiber, thereby forming an adhesive non-woven fabric;
-A step of applying a crosslinking agent solution containing a crosslinking agent compound to the first and second surfaces of the adhesive nonwoven fabric; and-a step of heating the adhesive nonwoven fabric to a temperature exceeding the glass transition temperature of the crosslinking agent compound. And thereby forming batting, thereby heating the adhesive non-woven fabric;
The above method is provided.

  Particular embodiments of the migration resistant battings, articles comprising the battings, and methods of forming the battings disclosed herein have several features, each of which has its own desired features. It is exclusively related to the characteristics. Without limiting the scope of the battings, articles and methods defined by the claims that follow, their more prominent features are briefly described. By considering this description, and in particular reading the section of this specification entitled "Detailed Description of the Invention", it is now understood that the features of the various embodiments disclosed herein are present. It will be appreciated that it offers various advantages over the prior art.

  These and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of various aspects of the invention in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.

  The present invention is described below with the following drawings. Here, similar numbers mean similar elements.

Figure 3 shows a top view of an embodiment of a batting of the present invention.

Figure 3 provides a top view in the longitudinal, lateral and diagonal directions of a batting embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a photograph of an embodiment of the batting of the present invention.

3 is a photograph of an embodiment of a batting of the present invention that is stretched under a load of 0.65 lbs.

Detailed Description of the Invention

  Aspects of the present invention and their particular features, advantages and details are more fully described below with reference to non-limiting embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Descriptions of well-known materials, manufacturing tools, processing techniques, etc. are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention. However, it is to be understood that the specific examples and detailed description of the embodiments of the invention are provided for purposes of illustration only and not for purposes of limitation. From this disclosure, various substitutions, modifications, additions and / or arrangements within the spirit and / or spirit of the inventive concept will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In a first aspect, the invention is a batting comprising a non-woven fabric having a first surface, said first surface being parallel to said second surface, said non-woven fabric comprising a fiber mixture, said fiber mixture Is:
The first population 35-65% by weight of synthetic polymer fibers having a denier of 1.0 or less, wherein 50-100% by weight of the synthetic polymer fibers are siliconized fibers; ;
10-30% by weight of a second population of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers having a length of 60 mm or more,
50 to 100% by weight of the spiral crimped synthetic polymer fiber is a silicon-treated fiber, and the spiral crimped synthetic polymer fiber;
20 to 50% by weight of elastic fibers having a denier of 2.0 to 7.0;
5-25% by weight of synthetic adhesive fibers having an adhesion temperature lower than the softening temperature of said synthetic polymer fibers and having a denier of 1.5-4.0;
And providing the first and second surfaces with a crosslinked resin.

  In some embodiments, the fibers in the fiber mixture are homogeneously mixed, that is, the fiber mixture has a substantially uniform (ie, 90-100% homogeneous) composition.

  FIG. 1 shows a top view of a batting embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated batting 10 comprises a first surface 2 and a second surface 4 (parallel to said first surface 2). In some embodiments, when the batting 10 is included in an article (eg, as an insulating material), the first surface 2 is the outer portion (eg, cloth or other material) of the article (eg, outerwear). Liner), and the second surface 4 faces the inner portion of the article (eg, cloth or other material or liner). For example, in outerwear such as clothing, the outer part is the part facing the environment, whereas the inner part is the part facing the wearer. In other embodiments, the first surface 2 faces the inner part of the article and the second surface 4 faces the outer part of the article.

  The fiber mixture of batting 10 comprises 35-65% by weight of synthetic polymer fibers 6 (first group of synthetic polymer fibers) having a denier of 1.0 or less, 50-100% by weight of said synthetic polymer fibers being siliconized. ing.

  Synthetic polymer fibers are well known in the art. Non-limiting examples of synthetic fibers can include nylon, polyester, acrylic, polyolefin, polylactide, acetate, aramid, lyocell, spandex, viscose, modal and combinations thereof. In a particular embodiment, the polymeric fiber comprises polyester.

  In some embodiments, the synthetic polymer fiber comprises a polyester, wherein the polyester is poly (ethylene terephthalate), poly (hexahydro-phthalate), wherein at least 85 mol% of the ester units are ethylene terephthalate or hexahydro-p-xylene terephthalate units. p-xylene terephthalate), poly (butylene terephthalate), poly-1,4-cyclohexelyne dimethylene (PCDT) and terephthalate copolyester. In a particular embodiment, the polyester is polyethylene terephthalate.

  The weight percent of synthetic polymer fibers in the fiber mixture is 35 to 65 weight percent, which includes any and all ranges and subranges (eg, 40 to 55 weight percent). For example, in some embodiments, the fiber mixture is 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53 ,. It contains 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 or 65% by weight of synthetic polymer fibers.

  Denier is a unit of measure defined as the gram quantity of 9000 meters of fiber or yarn. It is common practice to specify the weight (or size) of a fiber or thread. For example, 1.0 denier polyester fiber typically has a diameter of about 10 micrometers. Microdenier fibers are fibers having a denier of 1.0 or less, whereas macrodenier fibers have a denier greater than 1.0.

  Synthetic polymer fibers are microfibers, that is, they have a denier of 1.0 or less. In some embodiments, the denier is 0.4 to 1.0, which includes any and all ranges and subranges. For example, in some embodiments, the denier is 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9 or 1.0.

  In some embodiments, the synthetic polymer fibers have a length of less than 60 mm. For example, in some embodiments, the synthetic polymer fibers have a length of 18 mm to 59 mm, including any and all ranges and subranges. For example, in some embodiments, the length is 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36. , 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 or 59 mm, which Includes all ranges / partial ranges (eg, 18-51 mm, 40-59 mm, etc.).

  As indicated above, 50-100% of the synthetic polymer fibers are siliconized, including any and all ranges and subranges (eg, 75-100%). Silicon processing techniques are well known in the art. The term "siliconizing" means coating a fiber with a silicon-containing composition (eg, silicon). Silicon processing techniques are well known in the art and are described, for example, in US Pat. No. 3,454,422. The silicon-containing composition may be applied using any method known in the art, such as spraying, mixing, dipping, padding and the like. Silicon-containing (eg, silicon) compositions, which may include organosiloxanes or polysiloxanes, bond to the exterior of the fiber. In some embodiments, the silicon coating is a polysiloxane such as, for example, methylhydrogenpolysiloxane, modified methylhydrogenpolysiloxane, polydimethylsiloxane or amino-modified dimethylpolysiloxane. As is known in the art, the silicon-containing composition may be applied directly to the fiber or diluted with a solvent prior to application, for example as an emulsion or solution of an aqueous emulsion of polysiloxane. Following treatment, the coating may be dried and / or cured. As is known in the art, catalysts may be used to accelerate the cure of silicon-containing compositions (eg, polysiloxanes containing Si—H bonds) and, for convenience, silicon-containing composition emulsions. In addition, the resulting combination may be used to treat synthetic fibers. Suitable catalysts may include iron, cobalt, manganese, lead, zinc and tin salts of carboxylic acids (eg, acetates, octoates, naphthenates and oleates). In some embodiments, following siliconization, the fibers may be dried to remove residual solvent, and optionally heated to between 65 ° C and 200 ° C to cure.

  In some embodiments, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 of synthetic polymer fibers. , 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94. , 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or 100% siliconized.

  Synthetic polymer fibers may be crimped. Various crimps are known in the art, including spiral crimps and standard crimps. In some embodiments, the synthetic polymer fibers are non-helical crimps. In batting 10, synthetic polymer fibers have a standard flat crimp.

  The fiber mixture of the batting 10 comprises 10 to 30% by weight of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers 8 having a length of 60 mm or more (a second group of synthetic polymer fibers, in the embodiment also the first group of helically wound coils). Fibers, which are often distinguished from the first population by being referred to as "helical crimped synthetic polymer fibers", 50-100% by weight of which are siliconized fibers. Is. The helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers 8 are synthetic fibers (although the first and second populations may contain the same or different synthetic fibers) as described above in connection with the first population of synthetic polymer fibers. Helical crimped fibers are fibers having a helical (ie, helical) structure. The weight percent of the helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers in the fiber mixture is 10 to 30 weight percent, which includes any and all ranges and subranges (eg, 15 to 25 weight percent). For example, in some embodiments, the fiber mixture is 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. , 29 or 30% by weight of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers.

  In some embodiments, the helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers have a length of 60-80 mm, including any and all ranges and subranges (eg, 60-75 mm). For example, in some embodiments, the length is 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, It is 79 or 80 mm (for example, 64 mm). Throughout this specification, fiber length is the pre-crimp dimension (ie, the length dimension before the fiber is crimped).

  In some embodiments, the denier of the helically crimped synthetic polymer fiber is 2.0 to 10.0 denier, including any and all ranges and subranges. For example, in some embodiments, the denier of the helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers is 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2. 7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5. 2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7. 7, 7.8, 7.9, 8.0, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9. A 9.4,9.5,9.6,9.7,9.8,9.9 or 10.0 denier.

  As mentioned above, 50-100% of the helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers are siliconized, including any and all ranges and subranges (eg, 75-100%). For example, in some embodiments, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66 of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers. , 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91. , 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99 or 100% siliconized.

  The fiber mixture also contains 20-50% by weight of elastic fibers (not shown in FIG. 1) having a denier between 2.0 and 7.0. Elastic fibers are fibers that have a very high elongation at break (eg, 400% -8001) and recover completely and rapidly from high elongation to their break. Elastic fibers include crosslinked natural and synthetic rubbers, spandex fibers (segmented polyurethane), anidex fibers (crosslinked polyacrylate) and side-by-side biconstituent fibers (Monvelle) of nylon and spandex. A particular embodiment of elastic fiber is commercially available from Toray Chemical under the trade name E-Plex.

  The fiber mixture comprises 20-50% by weight of elastic fibers, which includes any and all ranges and subranges (eg 20-35% by weight). In some embodiments, the fiber mixture is 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, It contains 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 or 50% by weight of elastic fibers. The elastic fiber has a denier of greater than 2.0 and less than 7.0, including any and all ranges and subranges therebetween. For example, in some embodiments, the elastic fibers are 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3. 0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5. 5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8, 5.9, 6.0, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, It has a denier of 6.8 or 6.9 denier.

  In some embodiments, the elastic fibers have a length of 40-80 mm, including any and all ranges and subranges (eg, 50-71 mm). For example, in some embodiments, the elastic fibers are 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, It has a length of 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 or 80 mm.

  The fiber mixture also has 5 to 25% by weight of synthetic adhesive fibers having a denier of 1.5 to 4.0, said adhesive fibers having an adhesion temperature below the softening temperature of the synthetic polymer fibers. The fiber mixture comprises 5 to 25% by weight of synthetic adhesive fibers, which includes any and all ranges and subranges (eg 5 to 15% by weight). For example, in some embodiments, the fiber mixture is 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. , 24 or 25% by weight of synthetic adhesive fiber. The adhesive fiber has a denier of 1.5 to 4.0, which includes any and all ranges and subranges. For example, in some embodiments, the adhesive fibers are 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2. .4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6. It has a denier of 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 or 4.0.

  In some embodiments, the adhesive fibers have a length of 20 mm to 71 mm, including any and all ranges and subranges (eg, 40-60 mm). For example, in some embodiments, the length is 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70 or 71 mm.

  As mentioned above, the bond fibers have a bond temperature below the softening temperature of the synthetic polymer fibers. In some embodiments, the first and second populations of synthetic polymer fibers comprise fibers made of different polymeric materials, thus the first and second populations have different softening temperatures. In these embodiments, the adhesive fibers have an adhesion temperature that is lower than the softening temperature of both the first and second populations. In some embodiments, the adhesive fibers have an adhesion temperature of 200 ° C. or less. In some embodiments, the adhesive fibers have an adhesion temperature of 50 to 200 ° C., which includes any and all ranges and subranges. In some embodiments, the adhesive fibers have an adhesion temperature of 80 ° C to 150 ° C. In some embodiments, the adhesive fibers have an adhesive temperature of 100 ° C to 125 ° C.

  In some embodiments, the adhesive fibers include low melt polyester fibers.

  In some embodiments, a composite component fiber comprising a sheath fiber and a core, wherein the sheath fiber comprises a material having a lower melting point than the core material.

  In some embodiments, any of the fibers that make up the fiber mixture may include, for example, segmented copolymers of polyalkylene oxides and other polymers such as the polyesters or polyethylenes described in US Pat. No. 6,492,020. Alternatively, it may be lubricated with a non-silicone slickening agent (polyalkylene polymer).

  In some embodiments, the batting of the present invention is heat treated to melt all or part of the adhesive fibers to form an adhesive web type batting. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that in such embodiments, "adhesive fibers" will be listed in the fiber mixture of the batting, but said fibers will be in perfect contrast to their original adhesive fibers in their pre-heat treated form. It will be appreciated that it may also be a partially melted fiber.

In some embodiments, the batting is:
40-55% by weight of synthetic polymer fibers with non-helical crimps;
-With 15 to 25% by weight of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers;
-With 20 to 35% by weight of elastic fibers;
-With 5 to 15% by weight of synthetic adhesive fibers;
And a fiber mixture containing.

  In some embodiments, the synthetic polymer fibers and the crimped synthetic polymer fibers are polyester fibers.

  As described above, the first surface and the second surface include the crosslinked resin. The resin is a crosslinked plate of a crosslinker solution (eg, by heat treatment). In some embodiments, the crosslinked resin comprises a crosslinker that is a crosslinked acrylate (co) polymer. In some embodiments, the crosslinker solution and / or crosslinker compound exhibits flexibility and hydrophobicity. In some embodiments, the crosslinker compound has a glass transition point (Tg) of less than 0 ° C.

  In some embodiments, the batting is 5-25 mm thick (eg, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21). , 22, 23, 24 or 25 mm), which includes any and all ranges and sub-ranges (eg 10-20 mm).

In some embodiments, batting has a density of 5~7.5kg / m ^3, which is intended to include any and all ranges and subranges. For example, in some embodiments, the batting has a density of 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0 or 7.5 kg / m ³ .

In some embodiments, the batting has a thermal performance rating of at least 0.75 clo / oz / yd ² when tested according to ISO 11092. In some embodiments, the batting is between 0.75 clo / oz / yd ^{2 and} 1.25 clo / oz / yd ² (eg 0.75, 0.76, 0.77, 0.78, 0.79, 0. .80, 0.81, 0.82, 0.83, 0.84, 0.85, 0.86, 0.87, 0.88, 0.89, 0.90, 0.91, 0.92 , 0.93, 0.94, 0.95, 0.96, 0.97, 0.98, 0.99, 1.0, 1.01, 1.02, 1.03, 1.04, 1 .05, 1.06, 1.07, 1.08, 1.09, 1.10, 1.11, 1.12, 1.13, 1.14, 1.15, 1.16, 1.17. has a thermal performance evaluation of 1.18,1.19,1.20,1.21,1.22,1.23,1.24 or 1.25clo / oz / yd ^2), which is optionally And all ranges and subranges (e.g., 0.75~1.0clo / oz / yd ²⁾ is intended to include.

  In some embodiments, the batting has a water uptake of 30% by weight or less. As described herein, "water absorption" is determined by the Hohenstein method for wet thermal performance. The Hohenstein method involves saturating an insulation specimen in distilled water at room temperature for 2 minutes and centrifuging for 23 seconds at a speed of 1500 rpm. After repeating the process twice, the wet specimen is weighed and the wet weight is compared to the initial dry weight to determine water absorption as a weight percentage. In some embodiments, the batting has a water absorption of 10-30% by weight, including any and all ranges and subranges. For example, in some embodiments, the batting is 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. Or, it has a water absorption of 30% by weight.

  In some embodiments, the batting is 5-30% multi-directional in one or more of machine direction (MD), cross direction (CD) and diagonal direction under a load of 0.65 lbs when tested according to ASTM D3107. It has a multidirectional stretch, which includes any and all ranges and partial ranges. For example, in some embodiments, the batting is 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. , 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 or 30% MD, CD and / or diagonal elongation.

  FIG. 2 provides a longitudinal, lateral and diagonal top view of a portion of an embodiment of a batting 20 of the present invention. 3A and 3B are photographs of one embodiment of the batting of the present invention. 4A and 4B are photographs of the batting embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, which extends longitudinally under a load of 0.65 lbs. The illustrated batting embodiment showed an MD elongation of 16%.

  In some embodiments, the batting is 60-200 gsm (eg, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77. , 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102. , 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127. , 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 14 , 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170. , 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195. 196, 197, 198, 199 or 200 gsm), which includes any and all ranges and subranges. For example, in some embodiments, the batting has 60, 75, 80, 100, 125, 133, 150, 170, 175 or 200 gsm.

In some embodiments, the batting has a migration resistance rating of 4 or 5. The migration resistance described herein is measured according to the International Down and Feather Testing Laboratory Downproffness-International Rotation Box standard. The method uses a 45.5 cm plastic box tumbler with a door on one side. The motor rotates the box at a speed of 48 +/- 2 revolutions per minute. Twenty-four No. 6.5 solid silicone stoppers are used in the box. Place the uncontaminated specimen article in the box and rotate the box for 30 minutes. Collect all fibers and lumps from the article surface, tumbler box and silicone stopper. The recovered material was evaluated and measured, and based on the amount of fibers that deviated or protruded from the fabric of the article after a 30 minute rotation period (only fibers greater than 4 mm were measured), as shown in FIG. Assign a numerical rating of 1 (significant fiber migration) to 5 (almost no or no fiber migration).

  In a second aspect, the invention provides an article comprising the batting of the invention. Non-limiting examples of such articles include, for example, outerwear (for example, outerwear clothing such as outerwear), clothing, sleeping bags, bedding (for example, comforters), and the like. In some embodiments, the article is part of active wear (eg, clothing including footwear worn for sports or gymnastics).

In a third aspect, the present invention is a method of making the batting of the present invention:
-Preparation of the fiber mixture, which comprises:
A first population 35-65% by weight of synthetic polymer fibers having a denier of 1.0 or less, wherein 50-100% by weight of the synthetic polymer fibers are siliconized fibers; ;
10 to 30% by weight of the second group of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers having a length of 60 mm or more, and 50 to 100% by weight of the helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers are silicon-treated fibers. , With the second population;
20 to 50% by weight of elastic fibers having a denier of 2.0 to 7.0;
5-25% by weight of synthetic adhesive fibers having an adhesion temperature lower than the softening temperature of said synthetic polymer fibers and having a denier of 1.5-4.0;
The preparatory step by mixing
The step of forming a non-woven fabric from the fiber mixture, the non-woven fabric comprising a first surface parallel to a second surface;
A step of heating the non-woven fabric up to or above the bonding temperature of the adhesive fiber, thereby forming an adhesive non-woven fabric;
-A step of applying a crosslinking agent solution containing a crosslinking agent compound to the first and second surfaces of the adhesive nonwoven fabric; and-a step of heating the adhesive nonwoven fabric to a temperature exceeding the glass transition temperature of the crosslinking agent compound. And thereby forming batting, thereby heating the adhesive non-woven fabric;
The above method is provided.

  The fiber mixture can be any of the embodiments described above in the first aspect of the invention.

  In some embodiments, a carding machine is used to form the nonwoven.

  The crosslinker solution is a solution containing a chemical crosslinker compound. The crosslinker solution is used as an adhesive on the fibers on the first and second surfaces of the batting. In some embodiments, the crosslinker solution and / or crosslinker compound exhibits flexibility and hydrophobicity. In some embodiments, the crosslinker compound has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 0 ° C. Such crosslinker compounds contribute to the softness and beneficial properties of the batting of the present invention. On the other hand, most known chemical adhesives provide brittleness and reduced drape to the insulating structure. In some embodiments, the crosslinker compound comprises an acrylate (co) polymer.

  In some implementation variations, potential coagulation of the crosslinker container is minimized prior to applying the crosslinker solution to the first and second surfaces of the nonwoven. In some embodiments this is accomplished, for example, by filtration or sieving.

  In some embodiments, applying the crosslinker solution comprises spraying the solution onto the first and second surfaces of the non-woven fabric, where the spray droplets of the solution are between 150 and 250 μm between sprays. Having an average median diameter (eg, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240 or 250 μm), which includes any and all ranges and subranges. .

  In some embodiments, during said spraying, the spray nozzle traverses the top of the first and second surfaces of the batting and across its width. In some embodiments, the spray nozzle maximizes atomization of the crosslinker solution.

  In some embodiments, the crosslinker solution is of uniform distribution and thickness when it is sprayed onto the first and second surfaces.

In some embodiments, the drop surface area density of the crosslinker solution on the first and second surfaces of the nonwoven is 5-10 g / m ² (eg 5, 6, 7, 8, a 9 or 10g / ^{m 2),} which is intended to include any and all ranges and subranges (e.g., 7~8g / ^{m 2).}

In some embodiments, the heating of the bonded nonwoven fabric comprises two or more of the following steps:
Heating in an oven; and heating in a calendering process.
including.

  In some embodiments, heating during calendering utilizes a temperature of 150 to 175 ° C, including any and all ranges and subranges therein.

  In some embodiments, the calender production line speed does not exceed 5 meters per minute.

  The heat treatment (s) is used to cure the crosslinker solution to obtain a crosslinked resin on each of the first and second surfaces.

  The present invention will now be described with reference to particular embodiments, which are not intended to be limiting, in the following examples.

A sample batting is prepared by the method described above. The sample fiber mixture is:
10% of ELK type low melting polyester adhesive fiber of 2.0 denier and 51 mm;
45% siliconized polyester fiber with 0.7 denier and standard flat crimp of 51 mm;
25% of 6.0 denier and 64 mm E-Plex elastic fiber;
20% of siliconized polyester fiber having 7.0 denier and 64 mm helical crimp;
Is. The fiber mixture is treated with a carding machine to obtain a nonwoven batting precursor that is heated at 110 ° C. A migration resistant surface comprising a crosslinker resin is formed by using a crosslinker solution comprising a hydrophobic self-crosslinking chemical (aqueous copolymer acrylate dispersion) having a glass transition temperature (Tg) below 0 ° C. A filtration or sieving process is used to minimize coagulation of the solution prior to processing. The solution was applied by spraying the solution over the top of the precursor batting and onto the surface using a spray nozzle that traversed across its full width. The volume median diameter of the spray droplets is adjusted to between 150 and 250 μm, and the droplet surface area density on each surface is adjusted to be between 7 and 8 g / m ² . After applying the crosslinker solution to both the first and second surfaces, the batting is thermoset using a three-pass oven system. Following the application of chemicals and thermosetting treatment, the insulating structure is passed over a heated roll calendering system at 150-175 ° C. to complete the sealing / crosslinking of the crosslinker compound in the crosslinker solution. The insulating batting is allowed to cool, then proceeds to winding and packaging, and is incorporated into the article.

The example batting has a weight of 100 gsm (grams per square meter), a thickness of 15 mm, and a density of 6.7 kg / m ³ and exhibits the following performance characteristics:

  Thermal-0.79 clo / oz / sqyd

  Water absorption-27%

  MD elongation-16%

  CD growth -16%

  Diagonal stretch -15%

  Migration resistance-evaluation 5 Excellent

  As alluded to, the present invention provides an excellent insulating batting that is fiber migration resistant and presents a very advantageous stretchability with the components of the present invention.

  The terminology used herein is only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and is not intended to limit the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a, an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It The terms "comprise" (and, for example, any form of "comprises" and "comprising"), "have; have" (and, for example, any form of "has" and "having") , "Include; include" (and any form of, including, for example, "includes" and "including"), "contain;" (and, for example, any of, including, "contains," and "containing") Forms), as well as any other grammatical variations thereof, are open-ended connecting verbs. As a result, a method or article that "comprises," "has," or "contains" one or more steps or elements has one or more steps or elements but those one or more steps or elements It is not limited to having only. Similarly, a process step or element of an article "comprising," "having," or "containing" one or more features has one or more of those features but only one or more of those features. It is not limited as a possession.

  As used herein, the terms "comprising," "having; has," "including," "containing," as well as other grammatical variations thereof, are And “consisting essentially of” and “consisting essentially of”.

  The expression "consisting essentially of" as well as other grammatical variations thereof, as used herein, should be understood to identify the stated feature, integer, step or element. Where one or more additional features, integers, steps, elements or groups thereof do not materially change the basic and novel features of the claimed composition or method. Does not exclude the addition of additional features, integers, steps, elements or groups thereof.

  All documents cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference as if each individual document was specifically and individually indicated to be fully incorporated by reference. Incorporated in.

  No subject matter incorporated by reference is considered to be a substitute for any claim limitation, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

  When one or more ranges are referred to throughout this specification, each range is intended as an abbreviation for presenting information, in which case each range refers to each discrete point (that is, entirely herein). It is understood to be included within the above ranges) (as described in.

  Although some aspects and embodiments of the present invention are described and described herein, alternative aspects and embodiments may be operated by those skilled in the art to achieve the foregoing objectives. Accordingly, this disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover all such additional and alternative aspects and embodiments as falling within the scope and true spirit of the invention.

Claims (27)

A batting comprising a non-woven fabric having a first surface, said first and second surfaces being parallel, said non-woven fabric comprising a fiber mixture, said fiber mixture being:
35-65% by weight of the first population, which is a synthetic polymer fiber having a denier of 1.0 or less.
And 50% to 100% by weight of the synthetic polymer fibers are siliconized fibers;
10 to 30% by weight of the second group of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers having a length of 60 mm or more, and 50 to 100% by weight of the helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers are silicon-treated fibers. , With the second population;
- have a 2.0 to 7.0 denier, and 20 to 50 wt% elastic fibers having a length of 40 to 80 mm;
5-25% by weight of synthetic adhesive fibers having an adhesion temperature lower than the softening temperature of said synthetic polymer fibers and having a denier of 1.5-4.0;
And the first and second surfaces contain a crosslinked resin.   The batting of claim 1, wherein the first population of synthetic polymer fibers has a length of less than 60 mm.   The batting of claim 2, wherein the first population of synthetic polymer fibers has a length of 18 mm to 51 mm.   The batting of claim 1, wherein the second population of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers has a length of 60 to 75 mm.   The batting of claim 1, wherein the elastic fibers have a length of 50 to 71 mm.   The batting of claim 1, wherein the synthetic adhesive fibers have a length of 20 mm to 71 mm.   The batting of claim 1, wherein the first population of synthetic polymer fibers has non-helical crimps. The fiber mixture is:
40-55% by weight of the first population of synthetic polymer fibers, wherein the synthetic polymer fibers have non-helical crimps;
15 to 25% by weight of the second population, which is a helically crimped synthetic polymer fiber;
-With 20-35% by weight of said elastic fibers;
-With 5 to 15% by weight of said synthetic adhesive fiber;
The batting of any one of Claims 1-7 containing.   The batting of any one of claims 1-7, wherein 75-100% by weight of the first population of synthetic polymer fibers are siliconized fibers.   The batting of any one of claims 1-7, wherein 75-100% by weight of the second group of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers are siliconized fibers.   The batting according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first group of synthetic polymer fibers and the second group of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers are polyester fibers.   The batting of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the crosslinked resin comprises a crosslinked acrylate (co) polymer. Having a density 5.0~7.5kg / ^{m 3,} batting according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The batting according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which has a thermal performance rating of at least 0.75 clo / oz / yd ² when tested according to ISO 11092.   The batting according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which has a water absorption of 30% by weight or less.   The batting of any one of claims 1-7, having a multidirectional elongation of 10-20% in the machine, transverse and diagonal directions under a load of 0.65 lbs when tested according to ASTM D3107.   The batting according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which has a migration resistance rating of 5.   An article comprising the batting according to any one of claims 1 to 7.   19. The article of claim 18, selected from the group consisting of outerwear products, clothing, sleeping bags and bedding. A method of manufacturing a batting according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising:
-Preparation of the fiber mixture, which comprises:
A first population 35-65% by weight of synthetic polymer fibers having a denier of 1.0 or less, wherein 50-100% by weight of said synthetic polymer fibers are siliconized fibers. When;
10 to 30% by weight of the second group of helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers having a length of 60 mm or more, and 50 to 100% by weight of the helically crimped synthetic polymer fibers are silicon-treated fibers. , With the second population;
- have a 2.0 to 7.0 denier, and 20 to 50 wt% elastic fibers having a length of 40 to 80 mm;
5-25% by weight of synthetic adhesive fibers having an adhesion temperature lower than the softening temperature of said synthetic polymer fibers and having a denier of 1.5-4.0;
The preparatory step by mixing
A step of forming a non-woven fabric from the fiber mixture, the non-woven fabric including a first surface parallel to a second surface;
A step of heating the non-woven fabric up to or above the bonding temperature of the adhesive fiber, thereby forming an adhesive non-woven fabric;
-A step of applying a crosslinking agent solution containing a crosslinking agent compound to the first and second surfaces of the adhesive nonwoven fabric; and-a step of heating the adhesive nonwoven fabric to a temperature exceeding the glass transition temperature of the crosslinking agent compound. And thereby forming batting, thereby heating the adhesive non-woven fabric;
The method comprising:   21. The method of claim 20, wherein the crosslinker compound has a glass transition temperature (Tg) of less than 0 <0> C.   21. The method of claim 20, wherein the crosslinker compound comprises an acrylate (co) polymer.   21. The method of claim 20, wherein coagulation of the crosslinker solution is minimized prior to applying the crosslinker solution to the first and second surfaces of the nonwoven.   Applying the crosslinker solution comprises spraying the solution onto the first and second surfaces of the non-woven fabric, and during the spraying, the spray droplets of the solution have an average median diameter of 150-250 μm. 21. The method according to claim 20. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the droplet surface area density of the crosslinker solution on the first and second surfaces of the nonwoven is 7-8 g / m < ² >. The heating process of adhesive non-woven fabric is:
Heating in an oven; and heating during calendering;
21. The method of claim 20, comprising two or more steps including.   27. The method of claim 26, wherein heating during calendering uses a temperature of 150-175 [deg.] C and the calendering production line speed does not exceed 5 m / min.